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Rome Without Walls: Power, Deterrence, and the Foundations of Political Fear
What is the central argument of “Rome Without Walls”, and why does it matter for European defence and dual-use markets?
Rome Without Walls: Power, Deterrence, and the Foundations of Political Fear: In contemporary European strategic. Defence-finance analysis; 5-page sourced DFM…
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Original DFM publication · DFM Analysis report · 2025-06-25
In contemporary European strategic discourse, security is frequently conflated with defense—as if the construction of physical barriers, the deployment of military assets, or the expansion of surveillance capabilities could, in and of themselves, guarantee strategic stability. Yet the historical experience of Rome presents a strikingly different model.
In the Roman conception of power, security was not derived from defense but from deterrence. What preserved the city and the empire was not the strength of its walls, but the perception—widely shared and deeply rooted—that any aggression would be met with rapid, overwhelming, and inescapable retaliation.
This analysis answers: What is the central argument of “Rome Without Walls”, and why does it matter for European defence and dual-use markets? What does this mean for European defence funding, procurement and investment decisions? How mature and defensible is the position described in “Rome Without Walls”? Which European actors, programmes and funding instruments are most exposed?
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Original DFM analysis
Rome Without Walls: Power, Deterrence, and the Foundations of Political Fear
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FAQ
What is Rome Without Walls: Power, Deterrence, and the Foundations of Political Fear?
In the Roman conception of power, security was not derived from defense but from deterrence.
Why does Rome Without Walls: Power, Deterrence, and the Foundations of Political Fear matter for European defence?
What preserved the city and the empire was not the strength of its walls, but the perception—widely shared and deeply rooted—that any aggression would be met with rapid, overwhelming, and inescapable retaliation.
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